Nassau, Suffolk health scores slip in national report

Nassau and Suffolk slipped slightly in an annual national report that ranks how healthy counties are statewide.

The fourth annual study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin released Wednesday ranked Nassau eighth and Suffolk 18th for "overall health" among the state's 62 counties.

This year, Nassau rated No. 1 for "health factors" -- behaviors that affect health, such as tobacco use, teen births and access to health care. The county ranked fifth for "length of life."

Suffolk ranked eighth for health factors and 13th for length of life.

Scores for both counties were lowest in "morbidity," which takes into account such factors as poor to fair health or low birth weight. Nassau ranked 19th statewide and Suffolk 22nd. Both counties also scored lower in physical environment, such as exposure to particulate matter or fast-food restaurants. Nassau ranked 20th and Suffolk 23rd.

Last year, Suffolk ranked eighth for health factors and 15th for length of life. In the 2012 report, Nassau ranked second statewide for health factors and sixth for length of life.